


Mercy for the Son

by sweetiepie08



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Ending, Canon Divergence, Gen, Jango Fett Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:26:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29784366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetiepie08/pseuds/sweetiepie08
Summary: Mace Windu held his lightsaber aloft, poised and ready to strike down his opponent, the legendary bounty hunter Jango Fett.But the child stayed his hand.The fatal fight between Mace Windu and Jango Fett ends differently when Boba decides to throw himself into the battle.
Relationships: Boba Fett & Jango Fett
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Mercy for the Son

Mace Windu held his lightsaber aloft, poised and ready to strike down his opponent, the legendary bounty hunter Jango Fett.

But the child stayed his hand.

The unarmed boy threw himself between the jedi and his father. He looked up at Mace with a glare that declared he was ready to fight monsters, gods, and spirits of all sorts to keep his father safe. The boy likely didn’t know or understand the complex web of intrigue that brought the two men to the battlefield, and he even more likely didn’t care. All he knew was that someone was trying to kill his father, and he’d do anything to stop that from happening.

“Boba!” his father commanded, “get to safety, now!”

“No!” the boy shouted back, fire glowing in his eyes. “No, I won’t leave you!”

Mace’s heart tore in two, watching the scene. The man before him was a danger to himself and his fellow jedi. He was a known criminal and ally to Count Dooku. Yet he had a son who loved him, who was willing to do anything for him, a clear reflection of love and protection he received from his father.

Jango gripped his son’s shoulder and pulled him close with one hand. The vambrace on the other arm beeped and he pointed it at the jedi. “If you harm a hair on my son’s head, I’ll hunt you down if it’s the last thing I do.”

He looked into the boy’s eyes again. Those eyes, on this day alone, witnessed more death and destruction than anyone that young ever should. Mace couldn’t strike Jango down, not like this. He couldn’t add to the list of horrors those painfully young eyes have seen.

He pointed his lightsaber to the bounty hunter’s throat. “Leave,” he ordered. “Take your son and go.”

“Jango Fett does not run from a fight.”

Mace gritted his teeth. Battle raged around them. He did not have time to deal with the bounty hunter’s stubbornness. “Look at your son, Fett. Is this what you want for him? Do you want him to grow up without you? I will never harm the child, but if you chose to fight, I won’t hold back again. Isn’t he more important than your pride?”

He kept his emotions down, his eyes cold, and hoped the bounty hunter would not see through his bluff. Though he was ready to defend himself and his fellow jedi, he wasn’t sure he could bring himself to swing his saber over the child’s head just to kill the father.

Jango fixed him with a level stare from beneath his helmet, then brought down his arm and gripped his son’s shoulders with both hands.

“Go back to your ship and fly away,” he ordered. “Stay out of this war. If I see you on the battlefield again, I won’t be able to guarantee your safety a second time.”

Never taking his eyes off the jedi, Jango crouched down and took the boy under the arms. “Hang on to me, kid,” he said as his son’s arms wrapped around his neck. The jetpack ignited and two of them flew up and out of the arena.

Mace turned back to the battle. Their part was over, at least for now, but his fight had scarcely begun. Perhaps he’d been too soft. He certainly gave Jango more mercy than he deserved.

But not the child. The boy deserved the same chance as every other child. He deserved to grow up with his beloved father, to live without the pain of watching his only family die. Perhaps Boba would grow up to be just as deadly as Jango. Perhaps he’d grow into something else. Only time would tell. But he was sure of one thing. If he’d killed Jango now, with his son watching, he’d have sealed the boy’s fate.

Compassion and mercy, this was the jedi way. And they were their most valuable tools for a reason. 

**Author's Note:**

> My supremely optimistic epilogue is that Jango Fett took this stroke of luck as a sign to retire. He raises Boba on Concord Dawn. Boba goes through his verd'goten when he comes of age. Everyone is better off. 
> 
> But that is just my prediction. What's yours?


End file.
